Fireplace



Dec. 24, 1929. Y w, F, Mum 1,740,996

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I l W "lli QIWUIM.

INIENTOR. i V WILLI/1M FLY/wv HUIR ATTORNEY'.

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Patented Dec. 24, 1929 I PATENT FFICE WILLIAM! FLYNN MUR, OIE' ALAIVIEDA, CALEFORNIA FIREPLACE Application led March 3,

The invention relates to a fire place of the open type having associated therewith means for effecting a heating and convection circulation of the air of a room aside from that effected by the draft of the fire place.

An object of the invention is to provide a fire place structure having the aforesaid air heating and circulating means directly incorporated with the essential fire place structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character described which is arranged to be formed entirely of non-metallic materials, such as ceramic ware.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. lt is to be understood, however, that variations in the showin@ made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to said drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspee tive front view of a fire place structure embodying the invention; portions thereof being broken away.

Figure 9. comprises perspective views of different members of the structure, portions of said members being broken away to disclose their structural features, and said members being spaced apart.

Figure 3 is front perspective view of a fire place incorporating a slight modification of the invention, portions thereof being broken away.

Figure 4lis a fragmentary plan section taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view talren on the line in Figure 1.

Asis well known, heat from an open fire place of the usual types reaches a room entirely by direct radiation and against the draft of air flowing thereinto and therethrough to support combustion and to effect the escape of smoke and heated air through the flue. Such fireplaces do not by themselves effect anv even heating of a room, and it is to a device for utilizing the otherwise wasted 1928. Serial N0. 258,846.

heat of a fireplace for effecting an even heating of a room containing the fire place that the present invention particularly relates. Essentially, the means of my invention comprises fcrming the different lining walls of the fire place hollow and so connecting the hollows of said walls with each other and the air of the room that air passing through the wall passages may, through acquiring heat from the walls, create a convection circulation of the air in the room and so effect and maintain a uniform heating thereof.

Referring now more specifically to the showing of the drawings, the structure comprises a bottom member 11, a back wall 12, and side walls 13. The bottom 11 is here shown as comprising a hollow slab with the forward edge slotted to provide an inlet openi-ngV le to the slab cavity. Preferably, and as shown, this bottom member is provided with suitable struts anl brace members 16 for reinforcing it against collapse, since this member must bear the weight of the fuel, ashes, andirons, etc., in the fire place. The

back wall 12 is arranged to extend upwardly from the rear end of the bottom 11 and is arcuately curved forwardly whereby its top edge 17 is arranged to define the rear side of the fire place throat at the top of the fire bo): dened by the walls. This member is also hollow, and is provided with openings 18 and 19 respectively in its bottom and side edges. The bottom edge of the back member is arranged to overlie the bottom member 11 at its rear edge with the opening 18, thereof registering with anopening 21 provided in the top wall of the bottom member thereat. As herewith particularly disclosed, the

back wall member 12 is formed with upper and lower sections 2:2 and 23 respectively having their abutting edges provided with registering perforations 24 and 26 whereby the cavity of the member is continuous.

The side walls 13 are arranged to extend upwardly from the side edges of the bottom member 11 with their inner faces lying in the planes of said side edges. These walls are also hollow and extend somewhat higher than the rear wall, preferably to the line of tlie mantel shelf. These walls lie in opposed and abutting relation to the side edges of the rear wall 12 and are provided with openings 27 for registration with the edge openings 19 of the back wall whereby the various wall cavities form, in eii'ect, one continuous cavity connected with the cavity of the bottom member 11. utlet openings 28 for the side wall cavities are provided in the upper portion of the side walls 13. In this manner, when the bottom and walls are heated by reason of a fire in the lire-box defined therebetween, the air in the cavity thereof is heated and escapes by convection through the outlet openings 28, at the same time drawing more air into the cavity through the inlet opening 14 in the bottom. It will thus be clear that a convection circulation is set up in the air of a room containing the fire place. which circulation accomplishes a heating of the air ofthe entire room independently of the heat radiated directly into the room from the fire and the inner walls of the tire-box.

Means are preferably provided for insuring a proper' heating of the air passing through the heating cavity provided in the structure now described, and the air in said cavity is accordingly so directed in its passage through the' cavity as to effect the same, said means being here shown incorporated in the structure of the side walls 13. The latter walls, it will now be noted, are also conveniently formed in sections` three sections being here shown provided. The lower wall sections 29 are generally rectangular and are Yprovided in their front edges with additional air inlet openings 34. Mounted in order above the wall sections 29 are intermediate and upper wall sections 32 and 33 respectively. rlhe wall sections 32 and 33 are perforated in their abutting edges whereby their cavity sections are directly connected. The lower wall sections 29 are provided with the inlet openings 34 in their front edges, and horizontal partitions 36 extend through the side wall cavities from above the openings 34. As here shown, the upper edges of the lower wall sections 29 are imperforate, whereby such edges provide the partitions 36. Preferably, and as shown, baffles 37 are provided in the wall section 29, said baiiies extending alternately upwardly and downwardly from the lower and upper cavity edges respectively. In this manner, air flowing through the section 29 is retarded for heating, it being noted that the side walls will generally be cooler than the back wall.

It will now be clear that the streams of air through the bottom '11 and wall sections 29 will unite in' the cavity of the back wall adjacent the bottom thereof and will vthence flow upwardly therein and therefrom intoA theA intermediate and upper side wall sections 32 33 and out of the outlet openy `28. Preferably, the inl-let and outlet openings and the passage provided through the wall cavity are so designed as to provide for a maximum air flow through said cavity, whereby the heating of the air in a room by means of the hereinbefore described convection circulation of the air thereof through the air heating cavity of the iire place now described may proceed at a rapid rate, it being noted that such rate will vary somewhat in accordance with the amount of heat given oft by the fire.

Preferably, the various members forming the bottom 11 and Walls l2 and 13 of the structure now described are formed of fireclay or other ceramic ware, rather than of metal. The members thus constitute their own lining for the fire box, defined thereby and the heat from the lire is conducted directly therethrough to their air heating cavities. l/Vhile the conductivity of a non-metallic material for the before mentioned members is, of course, less than that of metals which might be used, the specific heat ofV such material is very much more than that of said metals, whereby a considerable heat storage takes place in the walls and the heating of air by the various walls will continue after a lire is out. It will thus be clear that the means for heating the air of the room is a corporate part of the iire place structure whereby the desired results are accomplished in a particularly simple manner. The use of ceramic ware also eliminates the expansion difiiculties which would be met with in the use of metal, since with metal members special tolerance flanges would be required at all joints.

A suitable facing 38 is provided for the front of the fire place, such facing being provided with suitable gratings 39 opposite the heating cavity inlet and outletopenings in the side wall structures. As particularly shown in Figure 1, the side walls 13 are provided with the inlet and outlet openings 34 and 28 only in the front edges thereof, while in Figure 7, 'supplementary inlet openings 34 are provided which lead transversely into the sides of the wall sections 29 at the front thereof, and air is arranged to be discharged from the top of the walls 13 through supplementary outlets 28 and 28 leading respectively upwardly and transversely outwardly from the forward side wall portions which are accordingly arranged to extend into the room.

lhere the various walls of the dierent members abut at the registering openings thereof, means are preferably provided for sealing the joints and maintaining the registering openings in alignment. Accordingly, and as shown, one of two abutting surfaces providing openings for registration is provided with a groove 41 around its opening, while the other surface is provided with a tongue 42 for registration and engagement in said groove. This structure, it will be noted, permits a slight separation of the surfaces without seriously breaking the seal thereat or permitting an abaXial displacement of the. openings. Preferably, and as shown, this device is employed at all of the abutments of the members where openings are designed to be in registered relation.

It will now be noted that the bottom 11, back wall 12 and side walls 13 cooperate to deiine the {ire-box of the fire place as well as an air heating and circulating means and that these members cooperate as a unit. This unit, it will be noted, may be used alone, or with a backing of bricks or concrete as particularly indicated in Figures l and 5. In the latter event, it would, of course, constitute a lining and might properly be referred to as such.

I claim:

In an open front fireplace of the character described, a hollow back wall formed of upper and lower intercommunicating sections, a hollow bottom wall communicating with said hollow back wall and having inlet ports at the front edge thereof, hollow side walls formed of upper middle and lower sections and having inlet ports in said lower section and outlet ports in said upper section, baffles in said lower side section, and intercommunicating means whereby air may pass through said inlet ports and into said back lower section, then into the back upper section, then into said middle side section, then into said upper side section, and through said outlet parts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at- Oakland, California, the 21st day of February. 1928.

VILLIAM FLYN N MUIR. 

